Love Hina: Diaries
by Bug-chan
Summary: Keitaro's diary entry on the day of exams -- takes place right before Vol. 7 Chapter 55 -- R/R


Love Hina: Diaries  
  
A/N -- I saw the kind of reviews I have gotten for my first LH work...and it gave me mixed reactions as to whether to continue it or not. But for now, this idea I had toyed for a while and decided to put into for once. And BTW, I'll probably get some of the dates wrong...and one more thing, because I've done nothing but action-oriented fics, this is my first attempt at something more introspective so bear with me again.  
  
January 15, 2000  
  
Dear Diary,  
Today was D-Day -- qualifying exams for Tokyo University -- and a most interesting one too. Narusegawa, Mutsumi-san and I, we all went to the test center together to take it. I was upbeat and confident in the morning, but as the test progressed, my confidence went down, down and down, until it pretty much went down the drain. I mean, on the day of the test, how in the world can the test booklet mysteriously fly away? During the exam, and even after it, I could just see Narusegawa and Mutsumi-san walk away into the Todai campus, leaving me behind...so sad, but seemed so so true. The problems that seemed easy to tackle during all the hours we spent as the Ronin Trio just became more menacing in the test booklet. Maybe I was scared and I blew it out of proportion, or maybe the problems were indeed harder. Either way, only Kami knows how many times I was about to give up. But I couldn't, all because of Narusegawa and my mystery promised girl. I made a promise to Narusegawa that I would pass and enter Todai with her and I intended on keeping my promise. Yup, Urashima Keitaro never backs away from a promise he makes.   
  
After the test was over, thankfully, I made my way out, hoping to clear my head and my sentiments before heading back for the inn when Fate decided to throw another curveball at me. I was stopped by none other than a news reporter and her cameraman! Oh of all the times to be stopped, that too be broadcasted on national television! Oh man...I must've made a big fool of myself, trying to be confident over something I am sure I bombed for the fourth time in a row. I managed to deter them off with confident, if not cocky, statements, like "Oh yeah, it went very smoothly! Ha ha ha!!!" but I still had my face broadcasted all over the nation. Yeah, Urashima Keitaro is still an idiot.  
  
After I got the nagging reporter off my back, I wandered around, wallowing in self-pity and pessimism, not to mention those images of Narusegawa and Mutsumi-san leaving me alone and branding me a ronin for life. Thinking about being a fourth-year ronin was already too depressing and by then I just shut everything out as I rested on a railing that kept me from falling onto an ice rink right in front of me. Ugh! Ronin ronin ronin! It probably wouldn't sound too bad if I were really a warrior, but that's Motoko-chan and not me. I am not cut to be a warrior mentally, physically or spiritually, and apparently, not for Todai...until...Fate this time went easy.  
  
I felt something cover my back and as I turned around, it was the coat I got Narusegawa for her Christmas gift. Surprised, I looked around and saw the said girl and Mutsumi-san right behind me, the latter with her ever-perpetual smile. They asked me how I did, and...being the low guy I am, I lied to them...again. And it hurt. It hurt more than lying on national TV. It hurt more than lying in the very beginning to all the residents of Hinata Inn. It hurt more because I promised them, I promised them that I'd get in with them this year around, and I lied and let them down. Before I could further degrade myself, I felt something pushing up against my chest. I looked down and they were a pair of ice skates. I put them on as Narusegawa and Mutsumi-san put theirs on quickly and took off. Seeing them take off, while looking back at me, couldn't do more than remind me of my failure again, this time at full force. I really couldn't help but think of nothing else than the fact that I will be a ronin again. Then Narusegawa broke out of my thoughts by grabbing me and swinging me around. Heh, I'm sure I must've fueled some jealousy in some figure skating pairs if they saw what we pulled off, that too by accident. Then it all shattered when I collided into Mutsumi-san but instead of falling over, landing in a compromising position and getting punched into orbit, we managed to stay on our feet and I dipped her down, like a dancer. Then, it happened. Flashbacks of images involving them. Saying that it'd be good if we could get in together. Making that promise after Narusegawa and I failed last year. By then, I reached my limit and I couldn't stand it, so I took off like a madman, apologizing.   
  
What came next still baffles me. I ran into Seta-san and Sara, catching fish through a hole he carved. He noticed my pessimism quite immediately, even through my shock of seeing him in such a place, and at that point, I just let everything go. Not like those cheesy love movies where the guy or the girl breaks down as he/she confesses, apologizes or lets out something, mind you. But I told him about my lack of ability to get in, or even take a test properly. As I finished recounting everything, I mentally added one more person to the list of people I know would scorn me...for life for all I knew. Then, he asked something that struck through every qualm I had regarding the exam, "Keitaro-kun, isn't it a waste of time to give up now?" It froze me, and it felt like my brain rebooted, flushing all the images of Narusegawa and Mutsumi-san leaving me as well as whatever pessimism I had. In its place occupied a new force of optimism with which I made my decision to continue taking the exams. Hey, I really don't have much, if any, to lose so why not? I then knew I had to go apologize to Narusegawa...again.  
  
And speak of the devil, there she was, lying against a tree, right behind me, with a face of contempt. I could just feel the scorn beating against me, not to mention the immediate punch, but none came. At this rate, either Fate is drunk or Fate is being way too cruel. She motioned me to come over with the test and I apologized for lying...again. It's a marvel how I always lie and go down and down, yet, I still am able to be around everyone, especially Narusegawa. Then came the bombshell of the day. It had so much impact, I could still remember exactly WHAT and HOW she said it, "I can wait for you at Tokyo U for another year." I was dumbstruck beyond words and I peered at her face for the longest time ever. I could see into her eyes the sincerity and truthfulness of those words and I couldn't help but feel warm myself. Too bad the warmth had to end abruptly when she suddenly bursted by saying how she was going to check my answers. At that moment, the warmth disappeared.  
  
As she started checking my answers, I felt a dread slowly growing inside of me and I looked at Narusegawa's face. Yet...even with the dread piling up, I couldn't see any of that on the said girl's face. In fact, her face was totally unreadable! I kept staring at her, trying to find any form of emotion, as she kept on checking my answer. Seconds ticked by, then the second became minutes. My anxiety grew, then stopped, as Narusegawa started to say something. The second she opened her mouth, I churned a list of what she might tell me, most of them consisting of "pervert", "stupid", or "idiot". What she said...destroyed it. She actually said that my answers were almost all correct! Oh, you could imagine my expression, I would've bet it was totally priceless! Then, just like that, she became Narusegawa the Murderess and almost knocked me out with a log. Heh, I probably deserved it for causing her worry.   
  
Thankfully, the day ended in a positive note. I didn't give up, Narusegawa forgave me...again...and I felt like I was in better terms with her once again. I was instilled with a new sense of hope after how Narusegawa pointed out that I did very well, and I hoped that whatever good luck I had would last me throughout the entire testing season.  
  
Well, that's it for now. I get my results tomorrow, and wish me luck that they turn out just as how Narusegawa says it will turn out. Good night and see ya tomorrow!  
  
-Keitaro  
A/N -- What do you think? Good? Bad? Ugly? Continue? Stop? Oh well, leave reviews plz! 


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